Sunday nights of the second weekend of Jazz Fest are rough, but by the good grace of the musical universe, some people still have it in them to continue on, boogie on, and “Have A Talk With God.” Quite possibly the best way to keep spirits high in these rough conditions are with an all-star tribute to the timeless music of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. The Howlin’ Wolf hosted the sold-out dance party, with Zigaboo’s Soul Revue kicking off the evening and Sophistafunk closing it down in the odd hours of the night.

The “MJ vs. Stevie” band took the stage about half past midnight, with Lettuce’s Eric “Benny” Bloom leading the show with his incendiary trumpet playing and belting vocals. It was clear that this was the music the band had grown up on, as they chose tunes deep in the songbook rather than perpetuating the cycle of over-played covers that tributes are so easy to fall into. 

Adam Deitch (Lettuce, Break Science) had the beat locked and loaded, while Nigel Hall kept the grooves tight and melodic on an upside-down, left-handed bass. While Hall took the stage to lend his powerful vocals, Bloom would circle back to the ivories for some dualing keys with Wil Blades, who kept the tingling harmonies in check throughout the night. Lettuce guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff played the guitar off brilliantly, and together the band delivered the perfect way to close Jazz Fest weekend two.

It was a full-on sing-a-long, as the all-star lineup tore through hits like “Another Star” and “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” switching back between the legendary music of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, who despite having his show cancelled at the Jazz & Heritage Festival, still made sure to pop in to a few NOLA joints and honor his fans.

Thanks to the fine work of photographer Jeremy Scott and videographer Rex Thomson, you can relive some of last night’s most fantastic moments in the videos and gallery below: 

“Man In The Mirror”

“Another Star”

Setlist: Michael Jackson vs. Stevie Wonder at The Howlin’ Wolf, New Orleans, LA – 5/1/16:

Setlist: The Way You Make Me Feel, Love Having You Around, Human Nature, Have a Talk With God, PYT, Off The Wall, Another Star, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Rock With You, Man In The Mirror

Encore: Working Day & Night